New Study Finds that StraighterLine Undercuts the Cost of Community College and Other Learning Options

New Study Finds that StraighterLine Undercuts the Cost of Community College and Other Learning Options

StraighterLine recently retained Hezel Associates LLC, a research company in Syracuse, New York, to survey StraighterLine students about their experiences with our online courses. Burke Smith, StraighterLine’s founder, wanted firm data to answer a number of questions. Why had our students decided to take courses at StraighterLine? How satisfied were they with their courses? How did the costs compare to the cost of attending community colleges or other educational institutions? How easy was it for students to transfer the credits they had earned to colleges and universities?

The results of the survey reveal a lot about StraighterLine, its students, and the current state of American higher education too. Today, we’ll share one survey finding . . .

StraighterLine courses cost less than virtually all other options, including community colleges.

Over ninety percent of respondents stated that StraighterLine was less expensive than four-year schools and majorities also rated StraighterLine as less expensive than online courses through colleges or universities (73.2%) and community college courses (59.7%).

The one place where students reported that StraighterLine was at a cost disadvantage was in comparison to earning credits through CLEP. A CLEP exam costs only $77, so these data reflect the simple reality that CLEP is a less expensive way of earning college credit than StraighterLine. But you need to remember that the CLEP program does not provide instruction. It is a test that evaluates knowledge that a student has acquired through either life experience or study.

Note: The CLEP (College Credit for Life Experience) exam, administered by the College Board, allows students to earn college credits by demonstrating proficiency in subjects they have mastered through life experience or study.